Bill Maher was once a comedian (not a very good one), but now he’s a political commentator with his own HBO show. Really.
On Real Time, Maher usually has a lovefest with his liberal guests as they team up to bash a sole conservative guest. And, of course, he tries to say something controversial so he can get another five minutes of fame before slipping back into obscurity.
Thus was Friday night, when he said that women are to blame for sexual harassment. Not the women being harassed, mind you, but other women.
In Maher’s mind, here’s how it works: Powerful, married men have “sh*tty” sex lives so they’re frustrated, which prompts them to sexually harass women. Yes, he said because some men aren’t “satisfied” at home they abuse women. So women — those terrible wives — are to blame.
Comedian Joy Behar was appearing on the show, but she didn’t think the wives of men accused of sexual harassment and worse are the reason men sexually harass women.
“They’re bored at home? No, that’s got nothing to do with it,” Behar said. “Let’s leave the wives at out of it. The wives are home minding their own business while these jerks are jerking off.”
Social media lit up after the show aired. “Sexism like racism is totally irrational and losers like Maher will go to any length to blame the objects of their rage,” one Twitter user wrote.
Maher, a lifelong bachelor, was mocked for pointing out that the Hollywood men accused of sexual abuse — among them Harvey Weinstein, Steven Seagal, and James Toback — are all married.
“Yeah, because single men NEVER EVER sexually harass women????” one user tweeted.
